Railway tie spacer



July 11, 1961 w. H. KNIPPEL ETAL 2,991,725

RAILWAY TIE SPACER Filed Oct. 30, 1957 6 Sheets-$heet 1 Inventors WillisH. Knippel William UanJer Slugs James JZJ/umf /1 fto rm?) July 11, 1961w. H. KNIPPEL ET AL 1,

RAILWAY TIE SPACER Filed Oct. 30, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 WW) 1 7 17 F1 F7Inventor:

midis H. ZQu'ppeL William 'Uan .Oer 817133 :Zmes Jill-um!- July 11, 1961w. H. KNIPPEL ET AL 2,991,725

RAILWAY TIE SPACER Filed Oct. 50, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventors WillisH. lQzippeL will/1am Uanjer Jluys Jmes JLHuni' flttornqj July 11, 1961w. H. KNIPPEL ETAL 2,991,725

RAILWAY TIE SPACER Filed Oct. 30, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenlon WilliamVan Der Slugs July 11, 1961 w. H. KNIPPEL ETAL RAILWAY TIE SPACER 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 30, 1957 July 11, 1961 w. H. KNIPPEL ET ALRAILWAY TIE SPACER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 30, 1957 Inventors WillisH. IQzippel William Uanjer 6'11: S J1me: JZJ/uni fitzorne y pendently.

United States Patent 2,991,725 RAILWAY TIE SPACER Willis H. Knippel,Palos Park, William Van Der. Sluys, Homewo'od, and James J. Hunt,Harvey, 11]., assign'ors to Pullman Incorporated, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Oct. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 693,378 7 7 Claims. (Cl. 104-9)frame including tong assemblies movable relatively to the anchorassembly adapted automatically to square each tie in the roadbed withrespect to the rails by the operation of the tong assembly.

, Another object of the inventionis the provision of a railwaytie spacerhaving tie-engaging tong assemblies mounted on the main frame of themachine and having an anchor assembly suspended from the frame with the1 main frame and associated tong assemblies movable relatively to theanchor assembly.

" A further object of the invention is to provide a'railway tie spacerhaving magnetic track shoes affording fixed anchorages to provide abasing point for a relatively movable main frame and tong assembly tomove in either direction.

Astill further object of the invention is the provision of a railway tiespacer having pairs of tongs operable either simultaneously orindependently and each including a vertically sliding tong and apivotally mounted tong. A further and more specific object of theinvention is to provide a railway tie spacer having a pair oftieengaging tong assemblies at each side of the machine including avertically sliding tong and a pivoted tong member with the assemblieseach suspended from a tong elevating beam and operable simultaneously orinde- The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained bythe structure and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein: 1

[FIGURE 1 is a general plan view of a railway tie spacer machineconstructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a general side elevational view of the machine showing thetongs engaged with a crosstie and dr'aulic' circuits and controls forthe operation of the 2 machine. I

Maintenance of railway track and the laying of new track involvesmanipulation of the crossties whichmust "ice and respiked in the case ofold ties and in the event new ties are used they must be positioned andspiked as would be required in the laying of new track or in replacingold ties. The crossties must be located in properly spaced relationalong the track and spiked thereto and during the spiking operation theties must be held nipped firmly against the underside of the rail basesand disposed directly at right angles to the rails. The crossties to bereplaced or reworked usually are disarranged and extend under the trackin an improperly spaced relation and in positions at an angle relativeto the positions required when properly secured to the track and properspacing and positioning of the ties necessitates extensive manipulationof the ties. The apparatus of the present invention accomplishes all ofthe handling movements necessary to bring each crosstie to the desiredposition at its required location without the necessity for any manualhandling. The apparatus functions rapidly, positively and simply andcomprises a self-propelled machine running on the rails supported by thecrossties and having two tong assemblies carried outwardly of one end ofthe machine and located adjacent to each side for engaging a crosstie atspaced points. The assemblies each consist of a vertically sliding tongand a pivoted tong suspended from an elevating beam adapted to move theassemblies vertically independently of each other so that either one orboth ends of a tie may be clamped for manipulation. The tong assembliesand elevating beams are mounted on the main frame of the machine and aremovable therewith relative to an electro-magnetic rail anchor apparatussuspended from the frame. The lifting of the elevating beams, theclamping action of the tongs and the relative movement of the frame withrespect to the anchor mechanism are all accomplished by means ofhydraulically-actuated cylinders.

In the drawings the main frame of the railway tie spacing machine isshown as comprised of longitudinal beams 10 forming the side supportingsills of the structure and which are connected by transverse end sillbeams 11 and 12 and intermediate crossbeams 13 and 14. The crossbeam 14is comprised of a pair of beams arranged back to back in spaced relationand at the four corners of the frame diagonal brace members 15 connectthe end sill beams with the side sill beams where the crossbeams 13 and14 join therewith and thereby greatly rigidify the rectangular framestructure. The main frame'is supported on inboard type wheels and axles16. Tread plates 17 are mounted on the upper surfaces of the variousbeam members forming'the main frame as ;best shown in FIGURE 1. Setofiwheels 18 are provided to enable the machine to be set off of main linerails to permit passage of trains while working under trafiic conditionsand hydraulic jacks such as 19 (see FIGURE 2) are provided to raise thevmachine from the rails 20 and enable temporary setoff rails to be placedunder the setoif wheels so'that the machine can then be rolled beloosened or freed from the rails and then relocated oif the main line.

At one end of the machine an extended platform '21 is provided whichprojects outwardly of the end sill 12 and has a tread plate 22:coincident with the level of the tread plates 17. The platform is forthe operator tof the tie spacing machine and contains a guard railing 23which is disposed in back'of and on one side of the operators seat 24.The entire mainframe and operators platform are all secured andintegrated .by we'lding. A control stand 25 is provided on the machineadjacent to the operators platform 21 and convenient to the seat 24 forready accessibility to the operator'rof the hydraulicjcontrols' foractuatingthe machine andzis Weldedto the framing. An internal combustionengine '26 provides power for propelling themachine and drives ahydraulic pump 27 which provides power for the hydraulic system foroperation of the tie spacing devices hereinafter morefully referred toand for the pro 'pulsion of the machine by meansof a: hydraulic motor"28. l The final drive is through a selective-speed transmission '29 andflexible chain and-sprocket connection 30 to the axle of one-of thewheel and axle assemblies sprocket of the drive 30 is assembled as aunit on a base plate 34 which is bolted to the main frame with provisionfor adjustment of the tension of the driving chain.

The tie spacing devices comprise the tong assemblies which are locatedat the operators end of the machine and are disposed upon opposite sidesof the operators platform where the operator has a clear view of theposition of the crosstie and the respective tong assemblies. The tongassemblies each include a vertically sliding tong 35 and a pivoted tong36 operatively connected by an actuating or clamping cylinder 37 whichserves to clamp the tie between the tongs and to release the engagementof the tongs with the tie.

The tong assembly at each side of the machine is located outside of theadjacent rail 20. The sliding tong 35 is provided with a bottom spearportion 38 which is hardened to withstand the wear of repeatedpenetration of the ballast and is guided vertically through guide plates39 which are bolted to a support plate 40 welded to the main frame asbest indicated in connection of the support plate to the frame.

FIGURES 2 and 4. A gusset plate 46 reinforces the Each sliding tong isprovided adjacent its top portion with a pivot bracket comprised of apair of spaced plates 41 secured thereto by welding and which providefor the pivotal attachment of the tong 36 and the lifting beam for thetong assembly.

The pivoted tong 36 is mounted in the bracket 41 on pivot bolt 42 and issuspended therefrom for a joint vertical movement with the sliding tong35.

The lower portion of the pivoted tong is provided with a vertical face43 parallel to the opposing face of the sliding tong and between whichthe crosstie is adapted to be clamped.

The lower end of tong 36 is formed with a hooked portion 44 which alsois hardened to withstand the wear of repeated penetrations of theballast and provides a supporting surface for the tie adapted to beutilized in raising the crosstie and nipping it against the underside vof the rail base for spiking. The tongs 35 and 36 are actuated to clampthe crosstie by the hydraulically-operated clamping cylinder 37 which ismounted in a pivot bracket 45 welded to the tong 35 and the cylinder rodis provided with a jaw or clevis member 47 pivotally connected with thetong 36 intermediate itsends.

The tong "members 35 and 36 are maintained in alignment by means of abifurcated slide guide bracket 48 which is welded to the tong 35 andextends outwardly upon opposite sides of the tong 36 to provide apositive guide therefor throughout the full range of movement of thepivoted tong to keep the two tongs always in the same operating planewith the clamping force of the pivoted tong directed toward the slidingtong.

The clamping cylinder 37 provides the actuating force for operating thepivoted tong relative to thesliding tong in clamping the tie forhandling either in positioning or --lifting the tie and to releasetheclampingforce when *the tie hasbeen placed. The vertical movement ofthe the pivoted tong 36 is suspended from the bracket 41 on the slidingtong is obtained by means of the elevating beam 49. The tong elevatingbeam 49 is of substantial length and is connected at one end to anupright pedestal structure S0 welded to the main frame of the machineand upstanding therefrom. The connection of the beam to the pedestal isthrough the medium of links51 which provide a pivotal connection andafford some longitudinal'mov'ement of the beam as it is elevated wherebythe lifting movement of the slidingtong 35'may be maintained in adirectly vertical line. The opposite end of the beam 49 is pivotallyconnected to the bracket 41 as 1 by pivot bolt 52 to provide aliftingconnection to the tong assembly. The lifting force for each beam49 and the respectively associated tong assembly is provided byhydraulically-actuated elevating cylinder 53 which is disposedvertically and mounted in a well 54 (see FIGURE 4) in the main frame ofthe machine. The cylinder is pivotally mounted on a saddle 55 in thebottom of the Well and the piston mount of the cylinder is pivotallyconnected at 56 to the elevating beam at a-point intermediate its endswhereby the force of the cylinder is exerted vertically to lift the beamand raise the associated tong assembly.

Propulsion of the machine during normal travel to or from a worklocation is had by means of the hydraulic motor 28 through thetransmission 29 and drive to the axle but for tie spacing operations thepropelling force is provided either by the motor 28 for propelling themachine from tie to tie or by a singlehydraulic cylinder 57 which reactsbetween the main frame of the machine and an anchor device securely heldto'the rails by means of electro-magnetic track shoes to move themachine from one tie to the next and to space each successive tierelative to the preceding one. a The track shoes 58 are each suspendedby means of springs 59 from a trolley 60 which is supported for relativelongitudinal rolling movement with respect to the main frame by means ofbrackets 61 and trolley wheels 62 running on a trolley rail 63 adjacentto each side of the machine and in verticalalignment with the respectivetracks 20. The trolleys each have vertically disposed depending guidebrackets 64 which are disposed in opposed relation to "upstandingbrackets 65 on the track shoes and which serve to take the reactionforces between the trolley and track shoe resulting from the operationof the hydraulic cylinder 57 and prevent relative longitudinaldisplacement as well as to prevent relative transverse movementtransverse beams 67 and affords a pivot connection for the piston rod 71of the spacing cylinder 57 which is pivotally connected at its oppositeend to a bracket 72 on the mainframe. When the track shoes are energizedby the generator 31 they magnetically clamp the tracks 20 andfrictionally prevent any relative movement therebetween and fixedlyanchor the connecting frame structure 67, 68 and 69 against displacementthus providing a rigid base against which the spacing cylinder 57 isadapted to exert forces to advance and retract the entire frame and theassociated tong assemblies relative to the trolleys 60 and the trackshoes 58 with their connecting framework whereby the crossties arepositioned by the movement of the main frame relative to this anchorstructure.

The elevating beams 49 may be raised individually by 1 the respectivecylinders 53 or operated simultaneously by 1 means of the controls andthe cylinders 37 actuating the sliding tong 35 andconsequently the mugassembly since 15 tongs 35 and 36 at either side of the machine may. be

operated separately or simultaneously by means of the controls inclamping the crossties whereby a tie may be manipulated at one end or atboth ends for straightening from a skewed position or bodily moved to aproperly spaced position. The hydraulic circuit for operating thevarious cylinders 37, 53 and 57 as well as the hydraulic motor 28 isshown in FIGURE 7 wherein the enginedriven hydraulic pump 27 drawinghydraulic fluid from a reservoir 77 provides hydraulic pressure for thesystem. When the pump driven by the engine is operating and none of thevarious hydraulic devices are being used the fluid flows from the pump27 through circuit 78 to a vented relief valve 80 used in conjunctionwith an accumulator 81 and back to the reservoir 77 through a circuit79. In operation the fluid is directed to an inlet section 82 of ahydraulic control valve assembly which is mounted on the machine in alocation readily accessible to the operators position adjacent to theseat 24 and which contains the valves for operating all the hydrauliccylinders and the motor comprising seven three-positions sixway valvesprovided with respectively associated cir cuits connected with thevarious cylinders and the motor. An open center valve 83 with circuit 84controls the operation of the motor 28. A closed center valve 85 withassociated circuit 86 controls the operation of each of the elevatingcylinders 53. Closed center valves 87 with circuits 88 control operationof the respectively associated clamping cylinders 37 While closed centervalve 89 with its associated circuit 90 controls the operation of thespacing cylinder 57. The closed center valve 91 effects the actuation ofthe setoif cylinders 91. Thus all of the controls for effecting themanipulation of the crossties are located where they may be actuated bythe operator from his position where he can see both of the tongassemblies and the crosstie for proper position- In the operation of themachine to manipulate the crossties for proper spacing and positioningthe operator brings the machine to a position where the verticallysliding tong 35 is disposed adjacent to and above one side of thecrosstie to be handled and the tong assembly is then lowered by means ofthe cylinder 53 after which the pivoted tong 36 is brought intoengagement with the other side of the crosstie to clamp the tie againstthe tong 35 by means of the cylinder 37 and the tie may then be nippedagainst the underside of the rail 20 with the hook 44 supporting the tiefor spiking. The tong assembly at either side of the machine may be thusoperated to manipulate one end of the crosstie or the operator mayengage both tong assemblies with the tie to remove the tie bodily or nipit against the rail for spiking at both ends. When the machine isbrought up to a crosstie to be positioned the rail anchor devicecomprised of the clamping shoes 58 and the connecting members 67, 68, 69and 70 is clamped to the rails 20 to provide a base point from which towork in properly spacing the tie. The main frame of the machine with theassociated tong assemblies may be moved relatively to the anchoringdevice in either direction by means of the cylinder 57 to bring the tieinto the required position.

Thus the machine of this invention affords a tie spacing mechanism whichmay be utilized to straighten skewed ties, to position the ties, to nipthe ties to the underside of the track level, to hold the ties againstthe underside of the rails for spiking, which may be moved by incrementsin either direction for accurate positioning of the ties and which isself-propelled in either direction to the work site and wherein all ofthese functions are performed hydraulically and wherein also the machineis movable relatively to an anchor device carried thereby during thestraightening and positioning operations.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination including a wheel-supported main frame having an enginedriving a hydraulic pump, vertically sliding tong mechanism including avertical tong member and means confining said vertical tong member formovement only in a vertical direction in fixed relationship to saidframe and a tong member pivotally mounted from said vertical tong memberfor clamping said crosstie, an anchor device carried by said framehaving means operable into clamping engagement withsaid rails to providea base point for positioning said crosstie,

and a hydraulic cylinder actuated by fluid pressure generated by saidpump operatively connected between said anchor device and the frame tomove said frame for positioning said tie.

2. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination including a wheel-supported main frame, rail fasteningmeans suspended from the frame and movable longitudinally thereof, meansconnected to and reacting between said frame and the fas tening meansfor moving said frame along the rails relative to said fastening means,a tong assembly for making clamping engagement with a cross-tieincluding a first tong guided directly on said frame for movement onlyin a vertical direction in fixed relationship to the frame and a secondtong pivotally related to said first tong for vertical movementtherewith, and power means operatively connected to said second tong forswinging said second tong relatively to said first tong .into and out ofdamp ing engagement with a crosstie straddled by said assembly.

3. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination including a main frame, a rail-engaging wheel assemblysupporting the frame at each opposite end thereof, rail fastening meanssuspended from the frame and movable longitudinally thereof, meansconnected to and reacting between said frame and the fastening means formoving said frame along the rails relative to said fastening means, atong assembly for making clamping engagement with a crosstie including afirst tong guided directly on said frame for movement only in a verticaldirection in fixed relationship to the frame and a second tong pivotallyrelated to said first tong for vertical movement therewith, power meansoperatively connected to said second tong for swinging said second tongabout its pivot relatively to said first tong into and out of clampingengagement with a crosstie straddled by said assembly, a generallyhorizontal tong assembly elevating beam pivotally connected at one endto said frame and pivotally connected at its other end to said tongassembly, and means mounted on said frame between said wheel assembliesreacting between said beam and frame for elevating said beam and tongassembly.

4. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination claimed in claim 2 including a pair of tong assembliesat one end only of the frame mounted on opposite sides thereof.

5. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination claimed in claim 3 including a pair of tong assembliesadjacent one end only of the frame, each of said assemblies beingmounted laterally outwardly beyond the adjacent rail-engaging wheelassembly.

6. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination claimed in claim 3 including a pair of tong assembliesmounted at one end only of said frame on opposite sides thereof, a pairof beams each connected to one of said tong assemblies, and separateindividual means for elevating the respective beams.

7. In a machine for positioning a crosstie under the rails of a railwaythe combination claimed in claim 2 in which the means for moving theframe along the rails relative to the fastening means comprises ahydraulic cylinder and piston assembly connected between the frame andthe fastening means, said combination including a hydraulic pressuregenerating means mounted on the frame and connected to said cylinder andpiston assembly, an operators platform mounted on the frame,

77 s and, valve means CODtIOlliIlg6fiidfCYlil1d6l"and piston v- ",81 ,82:Wilfiams Jan; 7,- 1958 assembly mounted adjacent saidplatform. MFOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent j 753 833Great Britain Aug. 1,' 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 7 OTHER REFERENCES2,391,657 Tavelin Dec. 25, 1945 Railway Track and Structure, page 15,September, 2,596,823 Richardson ..-May 13, 1952 '1957,

1 2,696,971 Philbrick Dec. 14, 1954

